A Delhi court on Monday recorded the statement of former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in connection with cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, specifically the incidents of violence that took place in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas of the national capital.
The statement was recorded by Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh, during which Kumar reiterated his innocence, claiming that there was not a shred of evidence to support the charges against him. Physically present in court, Kumar alleged that the investigation had been unfair and that he was being falsely implicated based on baseless and politically motivated allegations.
"I was not named by any of the witnesses at the time. It was only decades later that my name was brought up. The entire case against me is fabricated and politically driven. In fact, during that period, I organised blood donation camps and peace marches to restore harmony in the area. I even voluntarily underwent a lie detector test to prove my innocence," Kumar told the court.
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Following the recording of his statement, the court scheduled the next hearing for July 29. The case stems from two First Information Reports (FIRs) filed in February 2015 by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to re-examine the 1984 riot cases. The first FIR concerns the violence that occurred in Janakpuri on November 1, 1984, which resulted in the deaths of two people: Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh.
Gurcharan Singh was allegedly murdered and set on fire in the Vikaspuri area on November 2, 1984, according to the second FIR. The cases are a part of a larger investigation into the widespread violence that targeted thousands of Sikhs in Delhi and other parts of the country after then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated.
Also Read: 1984 anti-Sikh riots: Sajjan Kumar gets life imprisonment
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